The Vayus: Samana Vayu

Our current studies have lead us to a deeper understanding of what is prana, our life force. Our life force or our aliveness can be observed by way of winds or vayus. Just like the wind moves in all directions, so does our prana. Thus far we have explored prana vayu: our in and upward moving wind, our apana vayu: our down and outward moving wind. Today we arrive at samana vayu. Samana vayu is known as a consolidating, absorbing, and concentrating force between prana and apana. We can think of it as the space between the inhalation and the exhalation. Physically, samana vayu is located around the naval and associated with manipura chakra (solar plexus). 

Abundance and excess inundate our life experience and yoga helps us to optimize our limited and precious energy. This optimization can be managed at each level of prana however, the central optimization station, is samana vayu. When operating efficiently, samana, receives from prana, and decides how to best distribute what's needed and discard to apana what is not. Samana is like the best personal assistant you never knew you had. But like anyone else, if you overload her with trivial tasks like feeding your Starbucks addiction or inundate her with meaningless notes like incessantly noting all of your displeasures, she will burn out. This feels like, digestive issues, anxiety, and imbalance.

Samana or perhaps we call her Samantha, our inherent personal assistant, needs time and space to digest, literally and figuratively. Assist Samantha assist you in quality control by choosing to choose your people, places, and things and making your moments matter with only the content that actually matters. 

Thank you so much Dear Reader,

Iā€™m so appreciative of your time, attention, and interest in yoga philosophy. I know there are ample resources out there and it is always my intention to make this a resource that adds quality to your day!

Blessings,

Andrea Dawn

Andrea Behler